Abdul Patel says the Meadows Place neighborhood where he manages a Shell gas station is normally ''quiet and safe." But for a few short moments today, rounds of gunfire in a police shootout shattered the normal drone of traffic.

Patel watched as customers ran wildly into his convenience store for cover and as a Meadows Place police officer, struck by a bullet, grabbed his bleeding shoulder and fell to the ground near Dairy Ashford and West Airport.

''I've never seen anything like this before and I've been working here for 10 years," Patel said.

The shooting ended on U.S. 59 near Texas 6, where police caught and placed in custody two people suspected in a robbery and carjacking, capping a morning crime spree and chase that crossed several jurisdictions from southwest Harris County into north Fort Bend County.

Meadows Place police Sgt. Larry Eissler, a police officer for 12 years, was shot during the chase. He was listed in fair condition late tonight at Memorial Hermann Hospital, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

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A 34-year-old man from Houston and 25-year-old woman from Katy — had not been charged as of late tonight, but they could face attempted murder and possibly other charges, said Sugar Land Assistant Police Chief Stuart Denton.

The string of events began shortly before 10 a.m., when two people robbed a motorist in the 1000 block of Brighton Lane in Harris County, Denton said.

The woman had posed as a hitchhiker, Denton said. A motorist gave her a ride to a church near Brighton and Murphy, where a man pulled behind the car and shot at the motorist, grazing his hair, Denton said. The pair robbed the driver.

The pair left in their Toyota 4Runner, then struck a vehicle near Murphyand U.S. 59, officials said.

Meadows Place Police Officer Kelly Davis spotted the pair driving erratically and tried to stop them at West Airport and Kirkwood, Police Chief Mike Pickett said. They pointed a gun and a chase ensued.

Eissler saw the pair as they drove past the police station on West Airport and tried to stop them, Pickett said.

As the chase approached a Chevron gas station at Dairy Ashford and West Airport, Eissler pulled alongside the vehicle. The man fired a gunshot through the patrol car window, striking the officer in the shoulder. Eissler shot back, Pickett said.

The pair then pulled into the gas station and carjacked Jeff Drescher as he pumped gas, police said.

Fort Bend County Sheriff's deputies joined the pursuit through several Sugar Land neighborhoods, exchanging gunfire with the pair before entering U.S. 59.

Denton said no one was injured and no property damaged as the cars raced through the residential areas.

The chase ended when the stolen truck crashed into another truck on southbound U.S. 59 near Texas 6, police said.

The woman, who Denton described as combative, was handcuffed at the car. The man jumped out and ran across a field toward Texas 6, where he was caught, Denton said.

The accident caused lengthy delays on U.S. 59's southbound lanes, which were closed for about 1 1/2 hours.